Pakistan’s first day-night Test against WI in October

Pakistan will play their first day-night Test with a pink ball in Dubai against West Indies from October 13 to 17, the PCB announced on Thursday. The Pakistan board released the schedule for West Indies’ tour of the UAE, which starts on September 23 and comprises three T20Is, three ODIs and three Tests.

Dubai will host the first two T20I matches on September 23 and 24, with the third one being held in Abu Dhabi on September 27. The ODI series will be played between September 30 and October 5, with Sharjah and Abu Dhabi listed as venues. The day-night Test will be the first in the three-match series, and West Indies will play a day-night tour match against PCB Patrons XI between October 7 and 9 in Sharjah to prepare for the first Test. The second and third Tests will be held in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, from October 21 and October 30 respectively.

In June, an initially reluctant WICB had agreed in principle to play a day-night Test in the UAE, following the PCB’s offer of a practice match and training sessions under lights. Pakistan are also scheduled to play second day-night Test in the 2016-17 season, against Australia in Brisbane from December 15.

Apart from the day-night tour game, West Indies are scheduled to play two tour matches – a T20 and a two-day game – against an ECB XI. Both matches will be held at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

The PCB had also mulled hosting West Indies in Sri Lanka to counter the growing expenses in the UAE, which has been host to Pakistan’s home series for a decade now. The idea, however, was dropped after assessing the drawbacks of playing in Sri Lanka during the monsoon.